2 John 1:3,4 - Grace, mercy and peace

1:3

Grace and peace feature in the introductions of Paul’s letters, but there it is usually “Grace and peace to you”. Here John says “Grace, mercy and peace will be with us”. He is asking them to take action in the way they responded to travelling false teachers. This might not have been an easy thing to do, but John is assuring them that if they do this the grace, mercy and peace of God will be with them. This is so important. We often shy away from difficult decisions, difficult courses of action out of fear and out of an awareness of our own weakness and unworthiness. But in Christ we succeed not because of our own goodness or ability, but because of the Christ’s goodness. It is because of the grace of God that we will succeed, that our actions will be fruitful. It also almost certain that we will get things wrong, or are in a difficult position at least partly because of our own failings and mistakes. We receive mercy from God. And while the decisions we have to make might be difficult, we will receive peace from God. The gospel leads us to be active.

And this grace, mercy and peace comes from God the Father and the Son (more evidence, if more was needed, that the early church always saw Christ as being God) in truth and love. This is grace, mercy and peace is no impersonal thing, but a personal gift of love to us from God. Truth and love are two of John’s great themes, see 1 John.

1:4

John then commends them, though it is only a partial commendation. He is pleased that some of them are walking in truth. John does not simply mean that they were honest, but that some of them were walking in the light of the gospel. However, the implication is that some of them were not. We should note that it was true even in New Testament times for churches to be a mixed bag, with some walking in truth, and others either lukewarm or walking in falsehood. And walking in truth is not an optional extra. Indeed, the very phrase “walking in truth” should indicate that it is the only way we should live, but it is also a command from God.